Buick's V-8 Skylark tugs at our wallets in Charlotte

Feature Article from Hemmings Motor News

Asking price: $13,000
Known issues: Grubby engine compartment, signs of coolant overflow, fit issues with folding roof.
Pluses: Scarcity, handsome lines, practical size, comfy interior and a sophisticated aluminum V-8.
Why buy?: An ideal fair-weather car for relaxed cruising, it could also be a local show contender with a little bit of tidying. Excellent chance to appreciate in value.
Original list price: $3,012
Value today: Low - $12,450; Average - $18,900; High - $32,200.
The idea of building a luxurious small car was hardly mainstream thinking in the waning years of the Eisenhower era. Just by looking at the popularity of cars like the bare-bones Rambler, and that odd little Volkswagen from Germany, anyone could tell that small-car buyers were interested in one thing only: pinching pennies.
Buick, Oldsmobile and Pontiac broke the small-must-be-cheap rule when they introduced their innovative compacts for 1961. And no single car thumbed its nose at the rulebook more than Buick's Skylark, in which luxury, a degree of sportiness and a relatively modest size were blended into one appealing package.
We discovered this fetching, pale yellow Skylark convertible for sale near Turn 1 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, during April's Charlotte AutoFair, hosted by the Hornets Nest Chapter of the AACA. No seller was hovering nearby, but a sign on the windshield advised would-be buyers that this was a ''very original,'' three-owner, 54,000-mile car that had been sold new in salt-free Virginia. ''It runs and drives well, [and the] top works as it should,'' the seller advised.
The paint, which didn't seem to be original, was in good shape, and we saw no signs that rust was lurking beneath. All of the special Skylark trim appeared to be present, including the lower body bright rocker and wheelhouse moldings, turbine wheel covers and special steering wheel.
Lifting the hood revealed the all-alloy 215-cubic-inch V-8, the engine that GM used for a scant three years before replacing it with the cheaper-to-build, cast-iron V-6. The engine bay needed a good cleaning, but at least everything seemed to be present and accounted for, including the air cleaner with its Skylark decal. We did wonder about the signs that coolant had leaked out of the radiator cap, which could have been the result of anything from a loose cap to a silted-up radiator--or worse. The interior appeared to be original, and the off-white vinyl upholstery was in good condition, showing just a bit of wear. All Skylarks had power steering, and this one also featured power brakes and Buick's Dual Path Dynamic Drive automatic. The optional clock was perched atop the padded dashboard, and, although a vintage-appearing AM/FM/cassette player had taken its spot, the original radio was provided with the car.
To be honest, the asking price didn't strike us as any great bargain until we got a chance to check the value guides--it seems we're not the only fans of these cars after all.

This article originally appeared in the August, 2010 issue of Hemmings Motor News.